Over at MLBTradeRumors.com, Steve Adams offers a retrospective on the December 2011 trade that sent Mat Latos to Cincinnati for Edinson Volquez, Yonder Alonso, Yasmani Grandal and Brad Boxberger.

Here's a quick update on each of those names:

Latos is now one of the Reds' top two starting pitchers and, with Johnny Cueto out, the de facto ace. He's 3-0 with a 2.23 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 44 1/3 innings. He went 14-4 with a 3.48 ERA in 33 starts last season.

Volquez is the Padres' No. 1 starter, though you could argue that he wouldn't be a No. 3 on some teams. After a rocky start to the season, he's 3-0 with a 2.49 ERA over his last four appearances, lowering his overall ERA to 5.50. He went 11-11 with a 4.14 ERA in 32 starts last season.

Alonso leads the Padres in home runs and RBIs this season, seemingly ready to take a step forward in the power department. He had a solid if unspectacular first season for the Padres, hitting .273 with nine home runs and 62 RBIs, though he did add a team-high 39 doubles.

Grandal had an impressive rookie season, hitting .297 with eight home runs and 36 RBIs in 192 at-bats, but later tested positive for elevated testosterone levels. He's eligible to return from his 50-game suspension on May 28.

Boxberger remains a "prospect," even if he's currently pitching for the big-league club. He had a 2.60 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 27 2/3 innings last season, but also allowed 18 walks. He has the ceiling of a future closer, but he has plenty of work to do on his consistency and command.

As Adams writes, "this trade has the makings of a win-win deal." While Latos has thrived in Great American Ball Park, the Padres got a steady everyday position player in Alonso, a potential-laden youngster in Grandal and an intriguing pitcher in Boxberger. Volquez, given his inconsistency and lack of overall value, doesn't figure prominently into the Padres' plans for the future. The other three pieces netted in the trade, however, do, as the Padres can control them through at least the 2017 season.

Of course, Grandal's PED misstep could determine the balance of this trade in the near future. Although the 24-year-old catcher had been a highly-ranked prospect long before his suspension, any rust or immediate slump upon his return will be magnified, even more so if Latos continues to put up ace-like numbers.

As with other trades involving young players, it's still too early to render a complete verdict, but the direction of Grandal's 2013 season should make for an interesting discussion in this particular context.